Recipe

October 22, 2012

Eric Vellend’s Mac & Cheese Recipe

Recipe:

Step 1: Warm the milk in a small saucepan and keep warm until ready to add to the roux.

Step 2: Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until very al dente — 2 minutes less than the recommended time on the package. Drain, rinse under cold running water until cool and drain again.

Step 3: In a separate medium saucepan, melt butter over a medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes until it forms a paste. Whisk in mustard then gradually whisk in hot milk. Raise heat to medium and cook, whisking often, until thickened. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in 3/4 of the cheese until melted. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Step 4: Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter a shallow 12-cup baking dish.

Step 5: In a large mixing bowl, stir pasta and sauce until combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Step 6: In a small bowl, mix melted butter and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over top the pasta.

Step 7: Bake uncovered on upper rack until bubbling and golden, 20-25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Watch Eric demonstrate this recipe on Online TV.

Ingredients

3 cups homogenized milk, kept hot in a separate saucepan
1 lb. dried Italian tube-shaped pasta such as tubetti, ditale or macaroni
1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more to grease dish
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 lb. aged white cheddar, grated
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions

Yield:

Step 1: Warm the milk in a small saucepan and keep warm until ready to add to the roux.

Step 2: Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until very al dente — 2 minutes less than the recommended time on the package. Drain, rinse under cold running water until cool and drain again.

Step 3: In a separate medium saucepan, melt butter over a medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes until it forms a paste. Whisk in mustard then gradually whisk in hot milk. Raise heat to medium and cook, whisking often, until thickened. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in 3/4 of the cheese until melted. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Step 4: Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter a shallow 12-cup baking dish.

Step 5: In a large mixing bowl, stir pasta and sauce until combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Step 6: In a small bowl, mix melted butter and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over top the pasta.

Step 7: Bake uncovered on upper rack until bubbling and golden, 20-25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Watch Eric demonstrate this recipe on Online TV.